Watchmaker&#39;s pliers



Patented July 26, 1927.

SIDNEY GRUIBER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

wa'ronnmxnn s PLIERS.

Application filed July 19, 1926.

My invention relates to improvements in pliers and the object is to provide a simple and eiiicient device particularly useful for watchmakers in repairing broken ends of the main springs of watches.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fi 1 is a side view of a oreferred form of my improved pliers with its jaws opened.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of the plier jaws shown in Fig. 1 but showing the said jaws closed in the process of making an end hook on a watch spring.

Fig. 3 is a top view of a main spring barre], the main spring and spring end holding means of. the type for which my device is particularly applicable.

F ig. 4 is a side elevation of the forward partrof my pliers in a modified form.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view about as on line 55 in Fig. 4. 4

Fig. 6 is a bottom View of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a front view of the plier jaws shown in Fig. 4 and a main spring of a watch in position to have its outer end formed with a hook.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, my pliers are made in comparatively small size consisting of any suitable type of crossed members pivoted at 10 rea-rwardly of which are the handles desi nated as 11 and 12, 11 being integral with the lower jaw 11 and 12 being integral with theupper jaw 12. Jaw 12 is in all cases a thin member with a downwardly directed extremity 13 of wedge shape. The lower jaw 11 comprises a longitudinally slitted member providing an elongated opening 25 into which the wedge 13 is pressed by closing the handles 1112. Adjacent the slit of the lower jaw one side of it has a horizontal ledge 14 and an adjoining vertical flange 15 forming with said ledge a square pocket 16 in conjunction with the inner transverse ledge 15 across the lower jaw. A gage sleeve'17 may be I slipped on the lower jaw member and stopped against the transverse ledge 15 of flange 15. The thickness of sleeve 17 reduces the area of the slot in the lower jaw into which wedge 13 is moved.

Fig. 3 shows a top view of a main spring barrel 18 in which is fixed at the center (not shown) the main spring 19. In some makes of small watches, such as so-called Swiss Watches, the outer end of spring 19is formed Serial No. 123,343.

with an outwardly opening hook 20 engaged by one end of a loose bar 21 of flat material. The other end of bar 21 engages in a slot or pocket 22 of the barrel 18. This bar is simply a compensating link to maintain connection between the spring and the barrel at all times. It is the object of my improved pliers to make the hook 20 on either broken or new main springs. This is done by simply heating the spring end to soften it then laying it on ledge 14L and against ledge 15 with its extreme end against the flange 15, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thus the heated end of the spring lies across the slitted part of the lower jaw and the wedge part 13 of the upper jaw is quickly brought down into the slit and thus bend ing the spring end into an open hook shape between the jaw members 11 (see full line showing of spring 19 in Fig. 1). This hook making process must be accomplished very rapidly while the heated spring end is very pliable.

In the modification Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive, the lower jaw is elongated and bifurcated to form two parallel members 11 and 11 the former having the ledge 14: and the L- shaped flange 15 at its front end. 22 is athumb-screw inserted loosely in one jaw and threaded into the other jaw to close them or spring them toward each other as desired according to the thickness of the watch spring and the amount of opening of the hook 20 desired. This form of my device has light preferably tapering jaws which may be in serted in a flame with the spring end in place to be bent and the jaws closed when the spring has been properly heated in the flame.

The use of my improved pliers has been fully disclosed in the foregoing specilica- 1 tion.

hat I claim is:

1. A plier of the class described comprising two pivotally connected members each comprising an integral handle and a jaw, one of said jaws formed with a wedgeshaped extremity directed toward the other jaw, the other jaw having a slitted portion to receive said wedge when the pliers are closed, an upright longitudinal flange on the outer part of the slitted jaw in spaced parallel relation to the slit, said flange hav. ing a transverse extension across the jaw to inserted loosely in an aperture in one of the jaw sections and threaded into the other section to spring said jaw sections toward each other and close their forward ends accord'ing to the width of slit required.

In testimony Whereoai I affix my signature.

SIDNEY GRUBER. 

